“And you should continue to be made new in your dominant mental attitude, and should put on the new personality […] Therefore, now that you have put away deceit, each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, because we are members belonging to one another. […]do not let the sun set while you are still angry…[…] Let a rotten word not come out of your mouth, but only what is good for building up as the need may be, to impart what is beneficial to the hearers.“

“Put away from yourselves every kind of malicious bitterness, anger, wrath, screaming, and abusive speech, as well as everything injurious. But become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another…[..]” (Ephesians 4:23-32)

In a sense, a person’s earthly treasure could include prestige, fame, or power. Jesus made a point similar to the one Solomon made in the book of Ecclesiastes—worldly treasures are not lasting. As you have likely seen in the world around you, all such treasures are perishable and can be easily lost. Professor F. Dale Bruner writes of such treasures: “It is well known that fame is fickle. Last Saturday’s hero is next season’s has-been. This year’s financial success is next year’s bankruptcy. . . . [Jesus] loves human beings. He urges them to avoid the inevitable despair that comes with evanescent glory. It doesn’t last. Jesus does not want [his] disciples [to be] disappointed. ‘Every day the world turns over on someone who was just sitting on top of it.’” Though most people would agree with those comments, how many allow the reality behind them to alter their approach to life? Will you?

emotions are fickle..they come and go..why? let fleeting stuff i.e. anger/despair destroy you and those around you?

A key point is this: Our being truly successful does not depend on our achievements or position in the eyes of the world.

You may not be able to control your circumstances completely, but you can control how you deal with them. ~Find Real Success in life

2 of our younger kids are very “new” to the traditional-type classroom…being “home-schooled” all of their lives and being allowed to enjoy an entire childhood full of play and art and non-pressured learning at their own rate and pace in “relative” freedom…i’m super into education, (especially compassion literacy), just not into one-size fits all/teaching only to a test, etc. and other (non-sense) traditions/national brainwashing stuff you find in public education…though, our kids wanted to try out/experience “school” now that they are older…another learning environment in which to grow in different ways..thus, their respective school as of late..

i am very HAPPY about their non-conformity/neutrality stands they have made (on their own) concerning their value system… for example, our youngest girl LOVES bunnies..and when some kids at recess wanted her to join in on a game involving a “dead” bunny–she refused and chose to play by herself (more than once) rather than play a game(s) she found offensive; she didn’t care if the other kids liked her choice(s) or not.

(I only learned about this because 1 day the teacher told me she had noticed our younger girl playing by herself…so, i asked her about it.)

They have had no problem making a lot of new friends and have transitioned exceptionally well and don’t even mind homework:)…and “are very confident girls” so says their principal.

Just happy they are using their brains and thinking for themselves before acting like or following the crowd. They are willing to accept the consequence of acting/speaking differently.

Today and last month: each girl both received awards at school for displaying these 2 leadership qualities: acceptance and perseverance.

Acceptance and perseverance can help all of us, young and old, in whatever circumstance we find ourselves! And everybody accepting a new circumstance: easy or difficult and/or persevering in the face of trials and hardships: deserves an award or acknowledgement of a JOB WELL DONE!:)

It’s like: life serves up lemons (sometimes) and you know what to make:

This is our middle girl back in 2005…(who won the award today 5/5/14 for perseverance)…oh, the irony 😉 long after the other kids were finished on a hot FL day…still at her stand!